A Day on the Water
by isiadora
Summary: The men in Emma's life take a break from saving Storybrooke and spend a morning fishing.


Not for the first time today Emma Swan found herself thinking that _maybe_ this wasn't the best idea, and watching her pirate boyfriend run around his room at Granny's over the lip of her coffee mug was just reinforcing this belief.

Time for a bit of diplomacy.

"You know Killian," Emma began carefully "you don't have to go fishing with them if you don't want to, just because Henry asked you- "

Killian's head popped out of the closet and he shot her an incredulous look. "Swan, you know I enjoy spending time with your boy and besides, as if I'd let Dave off the- well, _you know-_ so easily."

Emma rolled her eyes. Just because her father had warmed up to Captain Hook dating his daughter, it didn't do anything to dampen the constant sense of competition between the two, as evident by the conversation at last night's dinner.

 _David put his fork down and leaned forward, eager to impart his grandfatherly wisdom on the young teenager._

 _"Now Henry, the most important part of deep sea fishing is having the proper equipment-"_

 _Killian interjected, "Aye, but not quite as important as being able to read the signs of the sea, mate."_

 _David's eyes narrowed at the interruption._

 _"That might be true, mate but you can't exactly catch tuna with a cane pole and a string, can you?"_

 _Killian shrugged and lifted his fork to his lips. "I don't know Dave, I've never had any issues with my pole-"_

 _"Killian!" Emma dropped her fork and shot her boyfriend a pointed glare._

 _The conversation continued to degenerate with Henry looking back and forth between the two like a spectator at a tennis match, with just about as much hand waving._

" _It doesn't bloody matter what kind of bait you use if you don't know where to drop anchor!"_

 _"Oh really? And how DO you drop anchor without an anchor? Or a ship for that matter?"_

 _"ENOUGH!" Snow grabbed her husband's arm and jerked him back on the couch. "David, he traded that ship for our daughter" she hissed "we wouldn't even be having this family dinner if he hadn't given it up."_

 _The prince looked slightly chagrined and mumbled out an apology while Hook scratched behind his ear, turning slightly pink at the attention._

 _"Ah, no harm done mate."_

 _A light bulb suddenly went off over Henry's head._

 _"Hey Grandpa? Maybe Hook could go with us tomorrow, you know, to help us take the boat out?"_

 _David looked less than thrilled at sharing his one on one time with Henry but agreed._

 _"Sure kid, that sounds great."_

 _"Now Henry, I'd hate to best your grandfather on his own fishing trip."_

 _"I'd like to see you try, pirate."_

 _"Tell me Dave, how much time does a Prince spend out on the sea? Or a shepherd for that matter…"_

 _Snow beamed at Emma, obviously thrilled with this turn of events. Emma just sighed and hoped that the station's budget included dredging the harbor._

Killian grabbed his bag and kissed Emma on the cheek, breaking her out of her musings.

"Ready to go love?"

Emma sat her mug down and grabbed her keys before shrugging on her red jacket. "Yeah sure just, do me a favor? Try not to push too many of David's buttons today."

Killian's answering grin was the only response she got.

-/-

Henry was waiting with her parents as the yellow Bug rolled to a stop at the dock. Emma couldn't help the snort that came at seeing her dad in flannel and a lure covered fishing hat but Hook beat her to it.

"Majesty, interesting choice of headwear you have there."

"Oh don't worry Killian! I got you one too." Snow fished around in her bag before proffering said hat.

Killian may be willing to go head to head with the prince but when it came to Emma's mother he was no fool.

"Thank you, milady" and with a small flourish popped the hat on his head.

Emma however had no such qualms and burst into laughter at seeing the pirate- Captain Freaking Hook- in his modern leathers and floppy hat.

Killian turned around and walked towards her, injecting as much swagger as possible into each step, Emma in his sights.

"Swan, are you making fun of me? It's bad form to laugh at a Captain's hat lass…"

"Ugh" David rolled his eyes, leaving no doubt as to where Emma got that particular habit from. "Can we just hurry up and get on the boat please?" His voice dropped to a mutter, "You know, so I can throw myself off of it…"

Killian spun on his heel and began walking down the pier. "Too right your majesty. Our vessel lies just ahead."

Charming stopped and narrowed his eyes. "Isn't that Leroy's boat…?"

Killian either didn't hear him or was just choosing to ignore him.

Emma helped Henry load the cooler Snow had filled, along with the other bags of odds and ends her mother had found necessary.

"Geez how long do they plan on being out there?"

"Emma you can never be too prepared and Henry's a growing boy, you can never have too many sandwiches!"

Killian looked up from his map to chime in. "Your mother's right Swan, one can never have too many provisions and this is Storybrooke. We could go fishing and end up in Tortuga fighting a kraken by noon."

Emma pinched him on his side and said under her breath "Don't even joke about that."

Killian's gaze softened and he pulled her under his arm. "Love, it's just a short fishing trip. Just a turn around the harbor and we'll meet you back here at sunset. Besides, if a kraken were to appear it wouldn't be the first I've fought and your father isn't completely useless with a sword-"

"I knew I was forgetting something…"

"–and Jolly Roger or no, I'm still a hell of a Captain." Killian grinned at her and Emma gave him a small shove, returning it with one of her own.

"Fine pirate, go. Have fun and we'll see you at sunset." She gave him a kiss on the cheek before carefully stepping her way off of the boat.

Henry gave a whoop as they finally untied from the dock and made their way out into the harbor.

-/-

Emma and Snow watched the small boat make its way further out to sea, shielding their eyes against the sun. Emma broke the silence first. "So, you don't really think one of them is going to end up overboard do you?"

Snow moved Neal to her other hip and laughed. "No Emma, your father likes Hook, he does it's just hard on him. You may be grown up but you're still our daughter and he's just well, protective is all..."

Snow leaned forward and gave her daughter a nudge, "…but, just in case…I may have given Henry my cell phone."

Emma released the breath she didn't realize she was holding. "Oh thank God."

Snow laughed and turned back towards the Bug. "Come on, I think I hear Granny's calling our name."

-/-

After finally finding a spot far out that Killian deemed worthy enough, they dropped anchor and brought out the bait David picked up in town. For all of their previous blustering, the men worked together well, with David helping Henry to bait his hook and Killian showing Henry how the seagulls would always lead to the best fishing spots. After picking their respective chairs the group fell into a companionable silence, the quiet morning not unappreciated in its rarity. It was Henry who finally broke the silence.

"Isn't this the part where we're supposed to …bond, or something?"

Killian cocked an eyebrow and smirked. "Well lad, I don't think your mother would much appreciate me sharing my rum, with you being underage and all."

Henry huffed. "Not like _that_ I mean, aren't you supposed to tell me stories about your childhood, pass on life lessons? That kind of sharing."

Killian winced at this. "Aye well, not too many happy childhood stories to share I'm afraid." He thought for a minute. "You know, I did take Baelfire- I mean, your father fishing a few times in Neverland."

"Really?"

"Aye. Like everything else in Neverland, they had the most fantastical kinds of fish and when he wasn't helping out around the ship he would occasionally pass the time by fishing. Many a fish caught by your father would wind up in the stew that night." Hook threw Henry a small smile. "Your father won over my crew rather quickly. All he wanted was a normal childhood and being helpful, doing these normal things I think took his mind off of his own father."

Henry took this all in before proceeding cautiously. "And what about your dad? What was he like?"

Killian swallowed noticeably and faced back out towards the water. "Ah well, that would be the unhappy part."

David who had been silent up until this point took pity on the pirate.

"You know, my father wasn't exactly a model citizen either."

Killian threw a disbelieving look at the prince. 'I find that a little hard to believe mate with you being the hero type and all."

David chuckled. "No it's true, he had bit of an alcohol problem after they gave my brother up. I didn't know that growing up though. Some of the good memories I do have are from doing what we're doing right now. We'd go to a creek outside the farm and he would try to impart some words of wisdom to me. What little he knew anyways." David sighed. "Not a lot of time to fish though, when you're a poor farmer's son."

Killian cleared his throat. "Aye, not a lot of time to fish when you're scrubbing decks either."

The group fell back into silence until Henry let out a shout.

"Grandpa! Killian! I think I got something!"

-/-

As promised, Snow and Emma arrived back at the docks around sunset but there was no sign of the boat. Emma squinted and looked out on to the harbor before spotting what looked like Leroy's boat.

"Oh, what the _hell-"_

She grabbed the binoculars out of her glove box to get a better look. It was Leroy's boat alright, but it was going in circles and she could see Henry propped up against the wheel, texting on Snow's cell phone. Where the hell was Killian..?

And then she spotted them, her father and her boyfriend holding up what looked like the two smallest fish the harbor had to offer clearly comparing sizes. David was red in the face and Killian was waving his hook around obviously in the midst of popping off with some sarcastic remark.

Emma lowered the binoculars and looked up at the sky, imploring patience from any deity that might be listening before turning back and getting into the Bug.

Snow turned to give her a confused look. "Emma…?"

Emma sighed and cranked the ignition. "Home, we're going home. Something tells me they're going to be a while."

It was 2 hours later to be exact. Henry bust through the apartment door and immediately began regaling Emma and his grandmother with stories from their trip.

"Mom, it was so cool! Did you know the best bait is to cut up a fresh fish and use that instead of the worms? And then Killian taught me how to clean a fish but you know, not with the hook because that would be _gross."_

Emma waved a hand in front of her face as various fishing trip related smells hit her nose. "That's great kid, you can tell me all about it later but first I think you need a shower."

The two adults that followed him in were not quite so enthusiastic. Killian and David dropped the ice chest by the door and collapsed on the couch, their energy flagging by the second. Emma grinned and walked over to where they sat and pressed a kiss to Killian's forehead before patting his shoulder.

Henry kicked his boots off and started running up the stairs but turned when Emma called out.

"Wait kid! So you gotta tell us, who won?"

"Oh, well I did."

"Oh yeah? And how's that?"

Henry gave her a very Killian like smirk. "Because, my fish ate their fish."

The two men groaned and Emma laughed before leaning over to pat her pirate sympathetically on the knee.

"I know, you let him win."

"He was bloody cheating Swan, I know it, probably conspiring with a mermaid or something."

David covered his eyes and leaned back. "You'd think a pirate would be better at this whole fishing thing."

Killian gave the prince the side eye. "Yes well Dave you can't be this devilishly handsome like me self and perfect at everything else."

Emma opened her mouth to retort on her father's behalf but was interrupted by a loud knock on the door. She checked her watch with a frown.

"Seriously? At this time of night?"

She crossed the room and opened the door to find a furious dwarf staring at her.

"Leroy? What are you doing-"

"You gotta come quick sister. I think someone's been out on my boat! Who does that?" The dwarf leaned around her at the last part, looking for someone to share his outrage with, only to see Snow raising her eyebrow and a pirate that was quickly sinking further into the couch beneath Emma's withering stare.

"Killian…" Emma began.

" _Pirate_ love."


End file.
